Nursing apparel is provided in a variety of shapes and configurations for accommodating selective exposure of a breast to facilitate nursing activities. Some such apparel is provided simply as a camisole. Many user's appreciate the degree of unencumbered comfort associated with such apparel but can be rendered uncomfortable due to the lack of breast support as well as the potential for inadvertent but fairly common unexpected leakage of the breast. Recognizing such shortcomings, others provide nursing garments in the form of a bra which provides enhanced support of the breast. Unfortunately, many such articles of apparel are susceptible to other drawbacks.
Many nursing bras include respective breast cups that can be swung in a generally downward direction such that the cup generally underlies a nursing child. The orientation of the breast cup generally below the nursing child frequently results in the bra cup absorbing breast milk during the feeding activity rendering the wearer with wet apparel until the same can be changed. Recognizing such a shortcoming, many such nursing bras are configured to include an interchangeable absorbent insert to mitigate the detrimental consequences of wet apparel. Unfortunately, such inserts frequently compress the breast, exacerbating undesirable leakage, and alter the fit of the nursing bra thereby detracting from the comfort associated with wearing the same.
In addition to the inserts, and the size and/or wetness associated therewith, many such bra arrangements commonly only have a limited degree of adjustment. The limited degree of adjustment, particularly for women with larger cup sizes and/or highly productive lactation can result in bra assemblies that are only comfortable for limited durations of the nursing cycle as the child grows and the volumes associated with feeding change. Such considerations can result in increased expense as users must commonly have various bras of different sizes to satisfy the demands of nursing without being considered as providing inadequate support or as being too constrictive.
Still other nursing bra assemblies include breast covering portions or cups that are movable in lateral directions but such systems suffer from various alternate drawbacks in addition to some of the drawbacks discussed above. Some such arrangements include a cup portion that movably cooperates with a triangular strap portion wherein the triangular straps generally circumferentially surround the nipple portion of the breast. Displacement of the strap portions can interfere with feeding activities and the radial positioning of the straps concentrate the forces associated with supporting the breast into limited narrow bands resulting in discomfort. Still other arrangements result in concurrent exposure of both breasts such that the non-feeding breast must commonly be covered with ancillary apparel and/or coverings. Such an arrangement also leaves the alternate breast wholly unsupported. Still further, such bra apparel commonly includes closure assemblies that require two hands to effectuate the desired exposure of a breast. This task is commonly complicated by the presence of a child intended to be nursed such that the wearer commonly only has one hand free to achieve the exposure of a desired breast.
Therefore, there is a need for a nursing bra arrangement that allows selective exposure of nearly the entirety of a single breast, does not interfere with the feeding activity, maintains support of a non-feeding breast, can be quickly and conveniently manipulated by a single hand, and is displaced relative to the feeding activity to maintain a dry and sanitary condition of the respective breast covering.